N.H. man pleads guilty to lying to get benefits

Tuesday

CONCORD (AP) — A New Hampshire has pleaded guilty in federal court to making false statements to get federal employee disability benefits.

CONCORD (AP) — A New Hampshire has pleaded guilty in federal court to making false statements to get federal employee disability benefits.

Prosecutors say 49-year-old Mark McLaughlin of Wolfeboro said from 2007 to 2013, he failed to disclose income he received while working for landscaping business. Consequently, he received nearly $120,000 in disability payments from the Office of Workers' Compensation Program.

McLaughlin is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30.

DURHAM (AP) — Anyone want an old barn? You'd have to move it yourself, though, from its current site in Durham, N.H.

The 19th century post-and beam barn is in Durham's Historic District. Developer Orion Student Housing is planning to build a student housing and commercial complex nearby. Orion has offered it to anyone willing to haul it away.

But it's a challenge — and it's costly. Foster's Daily Democrat reports Arron Sturgis, owner of Preservation Timber Framing in Berwick, Maine, said moving any historic structure is labor intensive. The structures need to be taken apart piece by piece, loaded onto a truck, transported to the new site and put back together again.

One farmer apparently expressed interest, but dropped the idea after learning it would cost up to $300,000 to relocate.

"We would invite anybody interested in cool, old 19th century barns to come take a look at it," said Michael Behrendt, Durham's director of planning and community development. He added, "It's not in superb condition, but it's in good condition."

Beverly Thomas, a program associate with the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, said situations like this are not particularly unusual. Property owners either can't afford to maintain the building or want to move it for one reason or another.

Efforts to save historic barns like this one have been under way in New Hampshire for some time. The alliance offers grants for barn rehab, and state law allows communities to offer tax incentives to help preserve historic barns.

"There is so much history in New Hampshire with farming, it was a huge part of our heritage," she said in a recent interview. "Trying to save these barns is a part of saving our heritage."

CONCORD (AP) — Gas prices in New Hampshire have fallen 1.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.33.

The average comes from GasBuddy.com's daily survey of 875 gas stations in the state.

The national average has not changed since last week, remaining at $3.27 per gallon.

The state prices are 10.6 cents per gallon lower than the same period last year and are 6.9 cents per gallon lower than a month ago.

The national average has decreased 1.6 cents per gallon in the last month and stands 4.4 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

GasBuddy operates NewHampshireGasPrices.com and over 250 similar websites.

ALLENSTOWN (AP) — Police say a 19-year-old woman has been stabbed in a New Hampshire park and another woman has been taken into custody.

Police tell WMUR-TV the woman was found stabbed in Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday. She was hospitalized in stable condition after undergoing surgery.

Police said 18-year-old Samantha Heath of Barnstead has been charged with first-degree assault. They said the women knew each other.

It wasn't immediately known if Heath had a lawyer.

HANOVER (AP) — Dartmouth College is planning a series of biweekly discussions with students, faculty and staff to explore where the college is going and how it will get there.

The series, called "Moving Dartmouth Forward," starts Feb. 3 and is designed to give community members a chance to contribute to initiatives President Phil Hanlon announced last fall.

The first topic will be the so-called D-Plan, Dartmouth's year-round academic calendar of quarterly terms.

Each discussion will be held twice in the same day, from noon to 1 p.m. and again from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Other topics will include student housing, campus safety, curriculum changes and experiential learning.

CONCORD — The Senate is again considering legislation to legalize casino gambling in New Hampshire.

The Ways and Means Committee is holding a public hearing today on a bill sponsored by Sen. Lou D'Allesandro, a Manchester Democrat who sponsored a casino bill last year that passed the Senate and died in the House.

D'Allesandro's new bill would allow the state to issue two casino licenses — unlike last year's measure which only allowed one license to be issued. Gov. Maggie Hassan supported last year's bill and says she only supports one casino in the state.

The House also is considering casino bills, including one stemming from a special commission charged with developing casino regulations. The House has repeatedly rejected casinos and those on both sides are focusing efforts on the chamber.

KEENE (AP) — Police say a New Hampshire man killed in a crash in Keene earlier this month was driving in excess of 100 mph when he lost control of his car. police say 37-year-old Glenn Fassett of Surry was driving on Route 12-A when he lost control over his car, spun around and collided with another vehicle on Jan. 9.

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